Membership…
We’re so glad you’re interested in membership at Northwest Langley Baptist Church!
In casual terms, membership is you declaring, “I’m in! I’m in with Jesus and I’m in with you as a community. Let’s be the church together!” In other words, membership is a shared commitment to following Jesus together as NWLB.
This shared commitment is fleshed out in things like our mission/vision/values, our statement of faith, and our bylaws (all referenced below). But ultimately it boils down to a commitment to Jesus and, therefore, his church.
Does membership matter?
In short, yes!
Membership matters for practical reasons (members constitute our society in fulfillment of the BC Societies Act); leadership reasons (only members qualify to fill certain roles in our church); and accountability reasons (being accountable to each other to live in accordance to our shared beliefs).
In a world of non-commitment, expressing our commitment to follow Jesus together as NWLB is a mutual encouragement that better positions us to fulfill our mission and vision.
What are the responsibilities of a member?
As stated in our bylaws, every member will strive to:
continually grow as a Christian (Gal. 5:22-26);
express Jesus’ love in deeds and words in the world in which they live (Matt. 28:19-20);
meet regularly with the Church family (Ps. 150:1; Eph. 5:19-20);
support the Church financially (2 Cor. 9:6-15);
be responsive to and supportive of the leadership of the Church (Heb. 13:17);
love, encourage, support, and pray for the other Church members (Rom. 12:10);
use his or her spiritual gifts to advance the mission of the Church.
What is required to become a member?
As stated in bylaw 3.1: Those who desire to become members of the Church must meet the following requirements:
trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord;
publicly expressed faith in Christ through baptism;
be in agreement with the Statement of Faith of the Church;
be sixteen years of age or older.
What is the process for becoming a member?
Review the information below and express your desire for membership through our connect form, by contacting the office, or speaking to one of our board members.
Meet with two of our board members for an interview (to discuss any questions you may have and confirm your desire to become a member).
Upon the recommendation of the interviewers, the church board will vote to affirm your membership.
Upon the affirmation of your membership from the board, your name will be presented for consideration by the church for two weeks.
Assuming no unresolved objections, you will be welcomed into membership!
All in all, it’s a process to ensure that members of our church are known, know us, and are together with us as we move forward as a community of wholehearted followers of Jesus.
Would you like to take this step of commitment with us? If so, let us know today!